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Our First (very) mini Odyssey.. Great Haywood to Hinckley


lampini

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Hi Forumites!

 

Me and Mr Lampini are sallying forth on our first foray in our very own new boat home; this will be around the middle of april. We will be starting from Great Haywood marina and going to Trinity Marina on the Ashby. We would like to take it dead slow; over a couple of weeks.

 

So exited!

 

Work won't be an issue for me - but Mr L will have to get to London about once a week for Meetings etc. We took a wander up the towpath at Rugely, fro bridge 67 north opposite the cemetary seemed like a nice spot!.. The station is within walking distance (Rugely Trent Valley) and i could see a Lidl, a Screwfix and a woodyard from the bridge. All v handy for a couple of day's stop whilst we Fettle a couple of basic things; do a little exploring; have a couple of pints - no eating out for us - we just bought a boat and would rather spend our dosh on Fettling... (go Lidl!)

 

The town seemed ok; easter hols will be over by then, and it's not the town moorings - also i spotted a v elegant church tower which seemed to be sporting some flying buttresses - i do love a flying buttress!

 

A) How safe a mooring would that be; there were a few other boats there - nobody about to ask but reassuring smoking chimneys on a couple!

 

B) For the rest of our trip, places with stations seem to be Polesworth and Tamworth; any local knowledge, good pubs, places to avoid?!

 

 

Prolly stuff i forgot to ask - but big thanks anyway - we wouldn't have got this far (not with quite so much sanity left anyway!) without the help offered so generously on this forum....

 

Oh and apologies in advance for the annoyingly large amounts of noob questions!

 

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You can stay ages in Rugeley, lovely moorings just before the aqueduct, still in the countryside but easily walkable to the station.

Then a good set of moorings (where I usually stop) just before the first bridge.

The official visitor moorings are too close to town and tesco trolleys for me.

There is also a very good automotive supplier on the way to the station for oils, batteries and other gubbins.

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You will find that Polesworth station is no longer used (except for a single train every morning going northbound!!). There is rail replacement bus service though. Good currys to be had locally.

Top heads up about Polesworth, had no idea there were hardly any trains any more... Mind you, it has been 30 odd years since I last lived in that area, cheers!

 

So there's no particular areas to avoid on this route then..?

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Top heads up about Polesworth, had no idea there were hardly any trains any more... Mind you, it has been 30 odd years since I last lived in that area, cheers!

 

So there's no particular areas to avoid on this route then..?

IMO you shouldn’t worry too much about places to stop. You will develop your own senses

about what feels good and what doesn’t…….It’s all down to personal experiences.

 

Someone told me, to never ever stop at Etruria, always a lot of trouble. I have stopped there seven or eight times and never heard as much as a raised voice.

 

Another boater said that the top of Cholmondeston lock is a good safe mooring. Well not for us. Idiots jumping on the boat at night and the only place we have ever had anything nicked.

 

The good thing about a boat, unlike a house, you don’t like it? You don’t have to stay.

It maybe a bit of a pain but if you’re not comfortable somewhere, up anchor and away.

 

Have fun. (I know you will).

 

Rob….

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IMO you shouldn’t worry too much about places to stop. You will develop your own senses

about what feels good and what doesn’t…….It’s all down to personal experiences.

 

Someone told me, to never ever stop at Etruria, always a lot of trouble. I have stopped there seven or eight times and never heard as much as a raised voice.

 

Another boater said that the top of Cholmondeston lock is a good safe mooring. Well not for us. Idiots jumping on the boat at night and the only place we have ever had anything nicked.

 

The good thing about a boat, unlike a house, you don’t like it? You don’t have to stay.

It maybe a bit of a pain but if you’re not comfortable somewhere, up anchor and away.

 

Have fun. (I know you will).

 

Rob….

 

Excellent advice Rob - especially as the Easter school hols will be over by the time we start out - many thanks old chap!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well; today we started - loads of sun and no wind - and we didn't hit anything!

Moored a bit past Wolseley Bridge (70) on the T&M, heading for Rugely tomorrow..

 

Thanks for all the advice all..

 

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Edited by lampini
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Hya Ange you night -owl!

 

 

Haha... deliberate - i'm afraid! We woulda bogged off yesterday but i saw the Met Office forecast and thought tuesday/Wednesday much more clement - and i'm still a proper wuss!

 

.. still be able to get the OH to Rugely trent Valley for his work trip to london - poor sod. He really doesn't wanna go!

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Just before you get to Polesworth, immediately after passing under the M42 look for the Pooley Hall heritage and country park centre on your right. Nice off side mooring right by the park cafe and on shore facilities.

 

Polesworth is a nice town and you can use either of the visitor moorings, there is a good butcher and chip shop. The abbey is well worth a look, they are friendly and welcoming there.

 

Atherstone has a useful co op and train station near the cut.

 

Look out for Hartshill yard a few miles further on its a delightful sight also a handy place to pick up water.

 

Springwood haven is an excellent boatyard and chandlery should you need any bits for your fettling.

 

I'm not keen on stopping in Nuneaton not because I've had problems but there are nicer places just outside. Starlight marine at Boot wharf have reasonably priced diesel (60p last I looked).

 

The Lime kilns pub at Hinkley is good and unlike the pub at the marina they don't charge to moor outside.

 

have fun

 

Top Cat

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Just before you pass Polesworth (15 minutes after leaving Glascote Locks) you go through Amington. There is a handy Tesco Express close to bridge 66, if you need emergency supplies.

 

We moor close to there, so give us a wave as you pass.

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Just before you get to Polesworth, immediately after passing under the M42 look for the Pooley Hall heritage and country park centre on your right. Nice off side mooring right by the park cafe and on shore facilities.

 

Polesworth is a nice town and you can use either of the visitor moorings, there is a good butcher and chip shop. The abbey is well worth a look, they are friendly and welcoming there.

 

Atherstone has a useful co op and train station near the cut.

 

Look out for Hartshill yard a few miles further on its a delightful sight also a handy place to pick up water.

 

Springwood haven is an excellent boatyard and chandlery should you need any bits for your fettling.

 

I'm not keen on stopping in Nuneaton not because I've had problems but there are nicer places just outside. Starlight marine at Boot wharf have reasonably priced diesel (60p last I looked).

 

The Lime kilns pub at Hinkley is good and unlike the pub at the marina they don't charge to moor outside.

 

have fun

 

Top Cat

This is great info - cheers TC..!

 

We had the most idyllic, though short, chug into the outskirts of Rugeley this morning... There's a brill aqueduct over the Trent - and an amazing boatbuilder called Geoff - and - and.. It's all great...

 

Sat on the boat in the sun now.. With the engine running.. Still got to get my head around just how much power the inverter pulls on its own, was a bit profligate with the power last night methinks!

Blimmin' 12v cheapo plastic double socket thingy on the boat fell apart the first time I tried to plug my 12v socket usb adaptor into it - so I need to get a replacement for that...

 

But it's all a bit of a learning curve and a massive adventure which we're both enjoying hugely!

??

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If you fit a solar panel or two you won't need to sit with the engine running on a nice day like this, I got mine from Springwood haven. Yes inverters are power hungy and very wasteful if only powering a phone charger. There is an Argos in Rugley, they might be able to sell you a replacement 12v thingey.

There is a Maplin about 1/2 a mile from Sutton road bridge on the Coventry just before Fazley. There's a large car showroom by the canal and you walk past that to a trading estate. Also got a supermarket ( Sainsburies I think) there.

 

T C

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was a bit profligate with the power last night methinks!

 

 

What did you have running off of the Inverter last night? Might get some suggestions as to whether you are using it too much or are too optimistic as to how long your batteries will last :)

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Springwood Haven, and in particular their co-owner Adrian Wagstaff, are/ is specialists in electrical power for boats, and you could do far worse than seek their advice. He persuaded us 2 years ago to upgrade to a particular type of leisure batteries, and the difference in performance compared with our old ones has been remarkable - we can leave the fridge on all night and its little light isn't blinking in the morning, and the Eberspacher will fire up first thing in the morning if it's cold, which it rarely would before.

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Righty ho chaps... Looks like we might be going for a Springwood haven visit on the way - I already heard they were good from a local..

 

Actually it was this morning on our short chug - I "thought" I was being clever.. As we were going along I had the inverter switched on and 2x phones 2x laptops, and a dyson "animal" Hoover.. Oh, and the fridge (7a) all plugged in.... 600w Nikkai inverter.. ?

 

Scrabble by candlelight later then... (Mr Lampini suggested "strip scrabble" does such a thing exist??!)

?

Thanks for all the advice btw - it's really appreciated! ?

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Scrabble by candlelight later then... (Mr Lampini suggested "strip scrabble" does such a thing exist??!)

 

It may do now - but only you and he know that.

 

We moored at Springwood for about six years and still do business with them - they have serviced our engine for the last two years. I can say from experience that they know what they're doing.

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We had the most idyllic, though short, chug into the outskirts of Rugeley this morning... There's a brill aqueduct over the Trent - and an amazing boatbuilder called Geoff - and - and.. It's all great...

You seem to be getting the hang of this boating malarky. Good innit!

 

smile.png

 

Have you got any 12v sockets on your boat? We have two but could do with more.

They allow you to enter into the world of 12v car charger stuff. If you could get a couple of cigarette lighter sockets wired into your boat you can then get chargers from places like Maplins, Amazon etc and charge your electrical gubbins without having to use your inverter.

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You seem to be getting the hang of this boating malarky. Good innit!

 

smile.png

 

Have you got any 12v sockets on your boat? We have two but could do with more.

They allow you to enter into the world of 12v car charger stuff. If you could get a couple of cigarette lighter sockets wired into your boat you can then get chargers from places like Maplins, Amazon etc and charge your electrical gubbins without having to use your inverter.

Thanks - it's awesome - think I've "welled up" at least once a day for the last week!

 

We do (did) have a double 12v socket at the stern next to the battery monitor, but when I tried to plug into it it fell apart! It WAS very dodgy cheap and plastic... Will post a pic of what's left!

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Hya Ange you night -owl!

 

 

Haha... deliberate - i'm afraid! We woulda bogged off yesterday but i saw the Met Office forecast and thought tuesday/Wednesday much more clement - and i'm still a proper wuss!

 

.. still be able to get the OH to Rugely trent Valley for his work trip to london - poor sod. He really doesn't wanna go!

Hi fellow night owl :)

 

I'm loving your posts - your joy and enthusiasm shines through and reminds me so much of me when we first moved aboard 7 years ago.

 

It's a massive learning curve to start with - solar panels made a huge difference to our overheads and quality of life. After having to run the engine for 3-4 hours each day we could go from April to October without running it whilst moored. Also plugging stuff straight into the 12v makes a big difference rather than using the inverter.

 

Never be afraid to ask questions - lots of us have been on your journey and the forum is a fantastic resource

 

Hubby was intrigued by the notion of strip Scrabble BTW until he recalled that we don't play Scrabble any more cos I always beat him, so it'd be him sitting in the nuddy :D

Edited by Ange
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